Our defeat
by Angelica R
Summary: [6x21/6x22] : Mini-fic. UA. Emma doesn't believe in magic any more, the worlds are disintegrating, and Gold lost against his mother. Henry may well fight, it will be useless. Bad ending Death ! Fic.
1. Prologue

Our defeat.

[6x21/6x22] : Mini-fic. UA. Emma doesn't believe in magic any more, the worlds are disintegrating, and Gold lost against his mother. Henry may well fight, it will be useless. Bad ending + Death ! Fic.

English version of "Notre défaite"

Prologue : Burn our dreams and our illusions.

Emma made her choice, the one she hoped, no she _knew_ was the good. Even if it made her be heartbroken as she had to do this to her son, but she didn't have the choice.

The young woman knew it, she had to admit it, it was Fiona who was right about all this. It would not be good for her, nor for Henry that this last still believed all these stories completely fantasist…

And also, an improvement for him would certainly signify an improvement for her, no ?

After all, it was really her fault if he still believed in it, if he still believed that fairies and curses were real.

Because she had once the naivety and the weakness to believe in what he told her, because just for a time she though she was the Saviour.

She had been wrong, and today she was paying an expensive cost because of her error. Emma had desperately desire to believe that what Henry said was real then.

How could have she do this differently at that time, when he came at her apartment, in order to ask her for her help against the Black Fairy and her curse ?

How could have she not have faith in him, as he put all his hopes in her ? He was now the only family she could ever have, the only happy ending (well, at least, if this kind of thing really existed) to which she would ever be entitled to.

So yes, she believed in it, almost despite herself, maybe because she dreamed to have a family, and that everything was well and truly true.

And after, Henry ate this apple turnover, and almost died, and her and Fiona were so scared that they now knew that they had to stop this madness.

Strangely, it was not Fiona who asked for the internment of Emma in this psychiatric hospital, but Emma herself. This story didn't have sense any more, and she had to end it as a matter of urgency.

She didn't want to loose her son, and if she had to get cured so he would get better, so, she accepted it.

It had been a success, at least for a time…

 _§§§§_

Despite the joy she had to see Henry again, Emma rapidly was disillusioned by hearing the speech this last made to her.

Magic, again ?

And her who though she was done with it, that her son finally put this behind him.

(There was no moment where she imagined that maybe he could be right, even if that moment on the roof seemed just as an illusion or an hallucination, more than something true.)

But it wasn't the case, he still re-entered the fray, even after all these years, even though she was sure that he began to forget about these stories.

Of course, she had been moved by his concern, but she didn't understand why he asked all these questions; and she didn't always catch what he was saying to her.

Apparently, her son was still insane, and maybe her too; even if there was still a little part of her that always believed in him.

(Maybe that the Saviour in her didn't completely disappear, and that she was trying with all her forces to make her remember.)

Fiona's proposal immediately choked her, and, this, despite the logic of this one. It would just when Henry would have realized that his mother didn't believe any more in these tales and these stories invented that things would change. And that, finally, he would understand that it was worthless for him to continue to desperately attempt to make her believe.

(She didn't know her son as much as she though she did, and ignored that he would always fight; for them, for their family, their happy ending, and against the Darkness. At the risk of dying by fighting if he had to do it.)

If Emma refused first to destroy the book, this is not by conviction that everything was real, but just in order to protect Henry.

Quite simply.

This life wasn't good, nor for her, nor for him, or for Fiona neither (that Emma sincerely pitied, this one did many efforts to protect her son and raise him correctly. And everything that she collected in exchange for it, it was an unfounded suspicion.)

With time and despite their disagreements, Emma learned to appreciate the Mayor, by seeing how much she loved Henry.

(There was no moment where she saw the darkness included in her heart, at no moment she realized what was really happening, and she didn't see the duplicitous and nasty smile of the false adoptive mother of Henry.)

But even with this to take into account, she instantly refused to burn the storybook. Because it would have signify to put into pieces all the dreams and all the hopes of Henry, destroy all his universe.

And it was not what she wanted.

 _§§§§_

Thisisjustwhen Henry's life was put in jeopardy by his obstinacy to make her believe in imaginary things that her vision of the situation changed.

She had been definitely blind, believing that Henry told her the truth, by pretending he gave up about this story.

(It seemed that she finally didn't have this famous gift to detect the lies.)

And she had been so afraid, and even if in other circumstances she could have congratulate him for his improvisation (he reminded her of herself at the same age, more or less), everything that appeared to her at this precise instant, it was the necessity to end with this crazy story.

Fiona wasn't wrong, and this is with a quasi automatic gesture that the former Saviour, who didn't think she was it, took the storybook of her son.

It was what she had to do, there wasn't any other solution.

(Or maybe yes. Maybe there were others; simply she didn't have any strength to believe in it. But how could have she do it, after all these years in this psychiatric hospital ? In what way could have she continue to believe, as everything she saw around her incited her to think the contrary ?)

If she hadn't been to that degree under the influence of the medicines, Emma most likely would have ask herself why Fiona so much wanted _her_ , and no one else to throw the book in the flames.

Burn her hopes and her dreams. That was what she must do, even if it didn't please her.

(And, unlike what happened during the first curse, there was nothing in her this time that told her that she was doing the wrong choice. Forced to endure the curse, she didn't succeed just to think that she could be wrong.)

And suddenly, facing the flames, she didn't hesitate, and threw the book in these flames.

When this one opened on a page that represented the man she though she saw before, she just frowned.

Unconscious she was that she just destroyed her happy ending, and that she just chucked her family to its death…


	2. Part 1 : Not to desperate

Part 1 : Not to desperate.

When he woke up in Storybrooke, in a completely improbable place (at least, not from his point of view, this is where he was _before_ the curse was cast), Henry felt disappointed. What surprised him, was simply that he was still in Storybrooke.

The meaning of this situation completely escaped to him, and of course, he kept his self-control and didn't say whatever came into his head about the curse, as he knew that this one just had been cast, and that all the inhabitants lost their memory.

(And that they wouldn't believe him.)

Oh… well, in fact.. yes. He did it.

Without thinking about the consequences, he made exactly the same thing as he did during the other "curse", the time when the Author rewrote the story.

But this time, things were completely different, as the inhabitants of this town thought they were happy and didn't have conscience that things weren't as it used to be.

But there was something worst, in fact.

Emma lost her memory…

 _§§§§_

Henry, retrospectively, wasn't really surprised by it, in fact it was just an elementary logic.

The Black Fairy wouldn't want to have a Saviour that remembered, as the other time, Gold let Emma remember about everything.

Fiona had, because of this, remembered the errors committed the other times, where a spell like this had been cast.

So, Henry also asked to himself another question.

Where could now be his family ?

 _§§§§_

Surprise was truly entire, and also really extremely disagreeable, when he realized that his other mom also disappeared, and also that this one of this world was no one but the Black Fairy herself.

(Right, it was his great-grand-mother, originally, but yeah, it was really disturbing to see her become his _mother_. Adoptive, of course, but it was really strange !)

And, what is more, she became the mayor of Storybrooke. Just as if have stolen his family from him wasn't enough.

 _I always knew that the members of this family were all obsessed by power._

 _Almost all…_

But it wasn't over, he knew it, as long as he would remember, he would fight against the fairy, with all his forces.

His family counted on him, and he wouldn't disappoint them.

Never…

 _§§§§_

Whathappened then was really harsh, but Henry wasn't afraid, and still had hope. What would save them was keeping faith, in himself, in his mother, and in his family.

Everything would be okay.

(Or at least, it wouldn't be that bad.)

Emma was the one who just couldn't give up, that was a thing Henry goodly understood; she was the Saviour, the one who would save all of them in the end. Because the light would always win, it wouldn't change that day.

(He didn't think that this time it would be more difficult that he predicted it. This time, everything was different, and things wouldn't end as they did before.

Yes, he remembered, he _knew_ ; Henry had conscious that everything here was false, and it was already something good.

The adolescent didn't take part of this story, not completely, and what happened with this curse proved it.

And that was the problem, he wasn't as the others, he was apart from the others.

And the most of it, he was alone…

The other time, in the rewritten story, he had Hook, and Regina who believed in him. And Emma who remembered, who _believed_. She wasn't the Saviour, but at least, she remembered.

It wasn't the case here.)

Hope was the trademark of their family, and he would do everything that was in his power to make Emma believe again.

With time, he was used to it….

 _§§§§_

When he finally succeeded to make Emma leave this place where she didn't belong, he couldn't help but thinking that now from this moment, everything would be easier.

It wasn't naivety, well, not really.

(Because Emma was a heroine, a true, as her parents, or as Regina succeeded to become.

She saved him from the Sleeping Curse, she found him in Neverland. She did this, and other things.)

As he looked at his mother, wearing her legendary red vest in leather, and trying to remember things that weren't real (from her point of view), he couldn't help, but smile.

He hadn't been wrong, that day, to go to Boston and find her; he didn't regret it, he would have done it again, if he had to. It wasn't only for him, but for Emma herself, and also for Regina.

For his grand-parents, Hook, and all the other people that Emma helped one day in her life as a Saviour.

Yes, at that precise moment, Henry Mills was really proud of his mother, and knowing that she remembered nothing gave him even more the desire to fight for her.

Her, but also all the inhabitants of Storybrooke, and the one transported in another place, against what they really wanted. Who also would fight to come back, Henry knew it.

He wouldn't give up, he would never give up, and the Black Fairy would have to kill him before he did such a thing.

Or to lock him up.

Because he was Henry Mills, and he fought for his family, and nothing else.

(Family who would soon, as Emma lost more and more hope, see its world being completely _literary_ reduced to nothing. But that, luckily, Henry didn't know it. Not yet.)

 _§§§§_

They were there, on the roof where, only some hours ago, they celebrated one of the most beautiful events in Emma Swan's life, and she _really_ had to remember.

It could have been almost funny, the way he told her this story that seemed just to be a fairy tale (and which was one, at least according to Emma.)

(Yes, it would have been, if it hadn't been the entire and strict truth, and if million of lives who would soon disappear hadn't been in the balance.

It would have been funny, if it just was a simple story, in fact everything was just an entire joke, and Henry couldn't believe they were still at that step…)

He saw Emma smile by hearing all he told her; this one stayed perplex for a time because of it.

What she told to herself then, it was that it really and absolutely had no sense in it. Because, well… right. Married with Captain hook ?

 _Really_ ?

He wasn't even a fairytale character ! At least, he didn't take part of the traditional counts. And it appeared to her more absurd than something else, and she almost asked to Henry if he didn't become mad.

(Which wouldn't have been funny, in fact, she realized before she asked the question. So, she said nothing.)

She couldn't believe how such a story like that could have grew in her son's head, and mostly, how he ever believed this one could be considered as _credible_.

(Well, in the past, she fell in love with a thief, so a pirate…

It wasn't the same thing, but stayed still in the category of outlaw.)

And no matter that she may saw something (or someone), it was still unbelievable…

 _§§§§_

Henry didn't only want her to believe, because he knewthat she wanted to believe, believe in him, but also in magic, and he tried to take advantage of it.

Emma had in her eyes a particular light, without noticing it, mixed with both hope and (a lot of) disillusion.

She needed to believe, a little as everyone; everyone had some day wanted to believe, believe in something, something which would _count_ , and mean something.

It didn't mean they hadn't been disappointed. That herself hadn't been.

And it also didn't mean that it was hopeless for Emma.

Him, Henry, succeeded to believe in it before, as he had no proof, so her also, she could do it…


	3. Part 2 : A vain fight

Part 2 : A vain fight.

No one understood what was happening.

All of that had absolutely no sense; they were here, doing what they used to do, and then…

 _It_ happened, what was around them began to disaggregate, and _no one understood why_.

Oz' inhabitants were the first to realize it, and if some of them began to immediately accuse the Wicked Witch, Zelena, who just came back, they rapidly understood that she seemed to be as afraid as they were.

"What is happening ? Some people screamed.

\- I don't know, other answered, the world is falling down, everything is falling down."

And it wasn't really false, and all of them tried to flee, without a success. Except for a certain witch with a green skin, who succeeded to find an escape, as some other people.

The fear, it was the only emotion that Zelena saw appearing on the faces of the inhabitants of her realm, and for a moment, she was almost disappointed not to be the one who provoked it.

(And it just reinforced her admiration for the Black Fairy, with also fear and hatred.)

But at least, she wasn't alone in this situation, and all she wanted to do was to leave this place and find her daughter (who was apparently still present in Storybrooke, in danger because of Fiona' presence.)

Mostly because she knew what she could do to children, the witch felt really relieved when she saw that she found her sister and the other.

Even though she hide it easily.

 _§§§§_

If everything was wrong in the Enchanted Forest, in a way, it was even worst in Storybrooke. Henry was slowly but surely loosing hope, because he was beginning to understand that this enemy was more duplicitous than the previous.

He was beginning to think that maybe they would loose. But without a Saviour and without heroes, how could it be different ?

Henry didn't consider himself as a hero, from his own point of view, he wasn't one, and never was. He believed he was it, a time, in Neverland, when he thought Pan's lies were true.

But he was just an Author, and the Authors weren't supposed to act on the course of the story.

Except that there was no hero in this town now, so he hadn't any choices, but become one.

 _§§§§_

He understood it at the moment where he woke up, when his "mother" showed it to him, happy, and proud, showing him a strange thing that is to say what still stayed of the story book.

Ashes. Burned leaves of paper. Nothing more.

Then, he truly began to doubt about it.

His mother, his _real_ mother, the Saviour, the heroine, the one who saved him so much times…

She burned the story book… and she should have never done it…

To fight was clearly vain and pointless, and as Henry understood it, his great-grand-mother was more strong than they were.

Because she did what Regina never succeeded to do, and always failed to accomplish. She won against the Saviour, convinced her that all of this, all these tales, were false.

She convinced her to go, she lied to her, made her believe it would be better for everyone, also, and especially for Henry.

When he understood that, Henry felt it as a hit in his heart, because it mean just one thing. Emma was giving up him.

And worst than that, she abandoned _him_ , she abandoned them, all of them, even without trying to fight.

Almost as if all of it hadn't have any importance…

Henry knew that accuse her wouldn't worth it, and was also deeply unjust, and mostly false. Emma was his mother, she loved him, and did what everyone in her case would have done, she was fleeing.

Except that she wasn't anybody, and Henry knew he would do anything not to let her make her happy ending disappear.

Even though he had to fight against the Black Fairy for that.

 _§§§§_

In another place, the worlds were disappearing, and them, they assisted to it, without being able to do something. Hook and Charming came to the magic bean's stem, and they escalated it.

Killian succeeded to go on the table, and then he broke the glass with their future way to travel back to their world, then, he took one of the beans, victoriously, and then… nothing.

There was absolutely nothing.

"You find something ?" David asked.

Pale, and not realizing what just happened, the pirate answered nothing. Of course, he was shocked, and he let the empty bean fall on the ground, before he took another.

But, unfortunately, this last one also hadn't any magic bean.

So, Hook staggered, seeing all his hopes to see Emma again, his wife, his happy ending, disappear, and his world fell down.

But not really, at least, not now. It wouldn't be long to happen.

The prince, seeing his lack of answer, and worried by it, questioned him again; and the pirate answered to it by…. anger.

"I have nothing !

\- What ? What do you mean by that ? You mean there is nothing on the table ?

\- What I mean is that there is nothing in that _bloody_ bean, replied the pirate with rage."

None of them had really time to complain about it, because then, they were pursued by a dragon.

In fact, it's at this instant that the problems really began for them, as the magic bean on which they were had the good (or rather the bad) idea to begin to violently move without almost any reason.

(Except the fact that the Saviour didn't believe in anything, and that she would soon clear off from the town, and it wasn't good for them.)

They would die, and they knew it, and at that moment, they lost both hope to see Emma again.

And to say that the fall was very painful would just have been a euphemism.

(So, indeed, they really suffered when the bean fell on them, and that they… fell on the ground.)

 _§§§§_

In Storybrooke, Henry made his choice, just as Emma, apparently. Before she went out, he addressed her some words again.

"You're fleeing mom, this is everything you're doing now. You don't want to fight any more, and I am not just talking about me."

\- But Henry, from who could you be talking about ?

\- From grand-ma and grand-pa. Your parents…

\- … Snow White and Prince Charming, Henry, I know it, you already told me that, right ? Listen to me, I know it's very difficult for you, but you have to be reasonable. And if you don't want to be, I'll be for the two of us.

\- You don't understand mom, you don't understand that you will loose everything if you do that. I know it's not your fault, that it's coming from the curse and that..."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"Henry, there is no curse, it's clear ? So, please, let me go and let your mother in peace. Trust me, she needs it, after all the frights you did to her.

\- This is not my mother.

\- Henry, please, don't do that again. I'm so tired to hear you talk about this. Now, if you allow me, I have to go. Don't worry, we will see each other again, I promise you."

Then she left, as her son made a fake smile, devastated as he was.

Because in the end, he already took his decision, and even though this fight was vain, he would do it, his life being in the balance or not.

But maybe that he wasn't that alone, after all, he told himself as he went to Gold's shop.

He had no idea of how he was right about the vainness of fighting, because all the people of his family out of Storybrooke were going to die.

He had to be quick if he wanted to save them.

Or maybe that it was already too late…


	4. Part 3

Part 3 : Forget is less painful than to remember.

Just after he woke up, Rumple understood than there was something wrong. It was completely natural, because his mother's curse just hit them.

But it wasn't that that worried him, it had to deal with something else. He remembered, but if it wasn't something that Fiona intended to do, he did. He was the Dark one, after all (was he still it ? He didn't know.)

He was still in Storybrooke, and in reality this is what surprised him first. Because it was the first time it happened, because at the arrival after a curse, they were always in a different place from the previous.

But here, it wasn't the case. Rumplestiltskin was in his bed, and everything was normal, there was nothing strange to signal.

Except that he was alone…

 _§§§§_

He didn't understand at that moment what was happening, not really at least, but he just needed an instant so the false memories linked with the curse that his _dear_ mother cast came again in his memory.

He grimaced. He didn't like it, not at all; he understood that he had been right not to trust his mother, she just waited an occasion to fool him. Something was definitely wrong in this story, another thing than the fact that the members of Emma' family had been sent into the Enchanted Forest.

The deal he more or less did with his mother hadn't been respected (so he wasn't the only one of the family who broke a deal), because his family wasn't complete.

(Of course, he counted Henry in it, but doubted that this last one really wanted to talk to him, as he may still remembered and didn't want to have a conversation with his grand-father, knowing his role that this last one played in all this story.)

A rapid look confirmed to him what he already knew: Belle wasn't in his bed, next to him.

And he didn't understand why.

Half panicked, but trying to hide it, he get out of his bed, rapidly wore his clothes, and searched for his son.

His fears were of course soon gone now, as he found this last one rapidly, and imperceptibly, he sighed with relief.

 _This one, at least, she didn't take him from me…_

Gideon was there, adult, smiling to him as if all that happened never existed.

His father smiled to him too, without a real enthusiasm, a thing that Gideon immediately remarked:

"Dad, is… is everything okay ?

\- Don't worry Gideon, I am just a little… tired."

By hearing his son talk to him that way, naturally, the wizard couldn't help but feel moved just by the idea of having good relationships with his son in this version of the story.

Well, at least, that was a thing that he couldn't pull out to the Black Fairy.

(Even though that in the deep of himself, he perfectly knew that it had nothing normal, and that everything of this was false and should have never existed.

Even though he knew that what he needed to do now, was to do the right choice, to go to see his mother and try to break the curse.

He should have been the Saviour, so it was his role now, not the role of Emma Swan...

And despite that, despite all of that, he surprised himself by hoping that it stayed that way.

All of he wanted, after all, it was to have his entire family with him.)

The only regret he had, the only thing that did that all of this wasn't perfect, it was Belle's absence.

In a certain way, he would have preferred to forget, never have known that she existed one day.

And, at the limit, he would have wanted to believe that she really abandoned them, him and Gideon.

(But this, it was something he didn't want to think about, as it would never be true.

Between the two of them, it was him, and not Belle, who was the coward in their couple, and even though he would have just wanted to have just a quarter of her courage, Gold knew it would never be the case.

Never.

He would never be considered as brave, even though he tried with all of his forces to be it, it was just not in his nature.

Gold was the one who left, who always gave up, especially when it was about something that could make him become happy or better.

He was just a coward, and he felt so sorry for that.

But maybe that it wasn't too late for him...)

 _§§§§_

He tries to talk to Gideon about his mother, but this one doesn't want to listen, and the Dark One curses his mother.

Maybe that there were things that would never change, that he would never be able to be completely happy, that always something would miss, or in this situation, someone.

He saw his mother again, just to know and see if she knew, and if yes or no she was suspicious about him. Rumple almost laughed at her as she showed him the pictures representing Belle.

No because there were false, but just because there… were really _badly_ done. And that no one could have believed to it, sincerely.

Obviously, he did as he always did, he lied to her, and dissimulated, which was a game to which he finally became extremely good at.

And of course, he wished his discussion with Belle didn't end that way, but apparently, his mother decided to make her go out of his life, and gave her a personality that had nothing to do with who she really was.

To see her like that really hurt him, and again, he knew that he would have wanted to forget.

(Instantly, he blamed himself. It was not what Belle would have wanted, she would have wished that he did something else than to complain of his destiny, that he chose something else than facility.

And she would have been right.

He _had_ to do something against his mother; to fight, to kill her, or at least _try_ , instead of doing nothing.

 _Strop being a coward Rumple, and fight._

It was what he had to do, because even though it was more easy to forget than to remember. It wasn't the good thing to do.

For Belle, or even himself and Gideon.)

He would fight against his mother, because he was the only one in town who could defeat her, even if the fight wouldn't be easy.

But he didn't have to do it, at least, not at that moment, because in the end, his grand-son came to see him and ask for his help.

A help that he gave to him, of course.

But, as he saw him leave with the sword of his grand-father, the wizard had almost despite himself a twinge in his heart.

And he felt fear, as Henry was the only thing and person that he had from Baelfire, and even though he didn't always show it to him (by doing almost always the bad choices), Gold really loved his grand-son.

And then, as he saw him leave, he had as the impression he was sending him to death. Or at least, to disaster.

Henry had no chance to defeat the Black Fairy, and they knew it, both.

There was only Emma and Gold that could, and she already was in Boston at that moment.

But maybe that he was letting him go to it because, in the deep of himself, he had hope that the young man could succeed.

 _Be careful Henry_ , he whispered to his grand-son, already out of the shop.

He didn't know how he was right, nor to what point what would follow would be a disaster…


	5. Part 4 : Life isn't a fairytale

Part 4 : Life isn't a fairytale.

It was madness.

Not only because what he was going to do, and try now was considered as a crime, that what he wanted to do, to accomplish, was a murder, and that alone in this strange world, he was going to do it against his "mother."

No, it was one because there was no way, and Henry was perfectly conscious of it.

He was going to loose, it was almost an evidence, as the cause for which he was fighting was a lost cause.

Because he was alone against everyone, cursed as they were, and couldn't see what there was under their eyes; he was alone against the one who knew and did nothing (except Gold who really helped him.)

He was alone against the Black Fairy, whose only purpose was to reduce his life and his family to nothing.

His own mother didn't believe in him, and he couldn't blame her for that, he knew what it was to be cursed.

He knew it, as he already lived it, during Pan's curse, he knew what it did, not to believe in magic.

Well, despite that, even by knowing that, he was desperate. Even though he tried to continue to fight, not to give up. None of them did it, he would obviously not do this mistake.

His mother shoot a dragoon for him, so he could do it to help her believing again, no ?

(Even though he did put the book telling her adventures in his bag, a book he did himself. Well, you do with what you have in these circumstances, as his book was in ashes, he hadn't have any other choices. Hoping that she would read.)

 _§§§§_

They were close to death, all, in the other worlds. In a little time, they would die, and that, no one , not even an Author full of hope could change it.

(In fact, maybe that some of them were already dead…)

It shouldn't have happened.

Snow White didn't know who she had to blame, but obviously, there had to be someone. She felt a pain some minutes ago, a great and terrible pain, at her heart.

She just needed some seconds to understand that something happened to Charming, that her husband was in danger (or dead ? But she refused to think about it, to just accept the idea of this possibility.

After all, they were heroes, they were the one who always won.

How could it change ?

Each time they succeeded to do it, despite the difficulties, even though when it seemed impossible, and so as Henry, despite her fear, she tried to keep hope.

But it didn't last a long time…)

Hook already came back, as he survived with no real explanation to the fall of the magic bean, with a pale face, and the look without any hope.

And when the pirate tells her, terrified, that no, he doesn't know where David is, at this moment, this precise moment, the bad feeling of Snow White turns into a true fear.

And she doesn't know really what to do, especially as she knows it's just a matter of time before their world falls down.

(But, if David is really dead, so hers just did.)

 _§§§§_

The look that the Black Fairy gives him is full of disdain, and her smile is more amused than something else, and it doesn't really surprise Henry.

To say that she is powerful, that she has great powers or even that she has a great dark magic wouldn't be enough.

She _is_ dark magic.

Henry is used to fight even when he knows and has the certitude he will loose. In a way, this situation looks exactly like what he lived when he was ten years old, alone against the others that didn't want to believe to what he was saying.

How he succeeded to do it so Emma believed finally, he doesn't really know it, as it seems to him that it happened years ago.

The other problem is that he doesn't succeed to do it any more, and that no one is there to help him.

It is a situation without any solution and Henry understands it when he goes in the direction of the mayor's to fight against her.

She rejects him with a strange facility, helped by her magic, of course.

The young man fells on the ground, but this time, he doesn't loose conscious.

(But he almost shouts, as this time, his arm, if it doesn't break again, really hurts him.)

He gives her a furious look, to the woman who pretends to be his mother, and he really begins to desperate.

"Tell me, kid ? The former fairy finally asked. Is it enough for you this time ? Or do you want to try again ?

\- I will never stop, right ? I will never stop fighting against you !"

A splendid smile illuminated then Fiona' face.

"You think that ? At the contrary, I think that you will soon stop yourself to do it, when you will understand that all of this is useless. You accept the fact that Henry, you lost. I _already_ won… Your mother doesn't want to believe, and she is not the Saviour any more. All your family will soon disappear, actually it is trying to survive now, waiting for the other worlds to fall. And then… the town will be mine !

\- What do you really want ? What is your real purpose ? Fiona had another smile.

\- Oh, but that's very simple, Henry, and I'm surprised that you didn't already understand. What I want, is to be with my family."

The fairy's eyes were shining, and for a second, Henry wanted to believe it. But even though it may be true, it changed nothing, and Henry couldn't forget the fact that to do it, the fairy was going to destroy his family.

And reduce to nothing the rules of magic.

"I don't believe you. You're just like Pan, or as Gold used to be. All you want, is power, eternal life, and nothing else."

When Henry talked about her former husband, the immortal became pale, but succeeded to be herself again, she smiled.

"It doesn't matter, my boy. All of this is over, there is nothing else to do."

Henry looked up at her.

"You chose darkness. I know you used to think you did it for good reasons, but you're wrong. Villains don't get a happy ending, and it is true for you. You will lose.

\- Who are you to talk to me that way, with all your certitudes ? She whistled. You have no idea of what I did, and of what I am ready to do to protect my family. You and the _heroes_ , you're done, and no one will take my happy ending from me."

Henry, fortunately, didn't reveal her that Gold knew, hoping that he could do something.

A false polite smile appeared on the mayor's face, as she was looking at Henry, still on the ground.

"Now, if you allow me, _my son_ , I have some people to call to signal them the _terrible aggression_ that I received from my own son, she told him with hypocrisy. "

And he was able to do nothing, except see her take her phone.

"Oh, she added, I was going to forget. If you think to one moment that the cameras of surveillance of the town hall will help you to prove your thesis, well, you know, she said, sadistic, they won't be useful to you. She made a rapid gesture. I guess you understand why now, the mother of the Dark One whispered."

With a defeated face, Henry nodded, realizing that his "mother" trafficked the cameras so they wouldn't believe him.

(But who in this town except Gold could have believed it ?)

And, it is with a face full of disgust that the adolescent saw her make her act of terrified and desperate mother to Archie, as he couldn't do anything against it.

(They lost, completely.)

 _§§§§_

When she realized that what she wanted not to happen probably happened, Snow White didn't shout. She didn't scream the name of her husband, nor she cried an enormous "Noooo" of despair.

In fact, she couldn't tell any word, and for a terribly long second, she couldn't breathe any more.

Horror, she knew it, already. She couldn't say she was used to it, but she knew what it was.

So, again, as she saw David appearing at her as dead, she fell just next to him.

After some minutes, she succeeded to talk, finally :

« Charming ? »

No answer.

So the princess tried to determine if the heart of her husband was still beating; no. Despair took her, and her breath stopped.

Desperate, she tried as a last solution to wake up David with a kiss, but without a success.

She tried, again and again, but at no moment her husband woke up.

Snow White then, after some minutes finally understood that all of this was vain, and she realized with time that she was crying.

Charming was dead…

He was dead, and she hadn't been able to do something to save him.


	6. Part 5 To know is not enough to believe

Part 5 : To know is not enough to believe..

The worlds were falling. They all knew it, in fact, it was even worse than that.

They were just living it, right now.

Snow White hadn't even really have the time to mourn completely her husband, as she felt herself being taken in another place, in Regina's castle. She was crying, still leaning over the body of her dead husband, trembling.

Regina (as she was the one who took them both in the castle), as Hook froze as they saw wheat happened.

But none of them were able to take the time to deal with the prince's death, and trying to stay strong, the former queen took her former step-daugther' arm and incited her to stand up.

The princess was still sobbing, the heart broken into pieces.

"Snow… I am sorry, sincerely, but… we don't have enough time."

Snow succeeded to stand up after some seconds, and despite what Regina told her, she didn't move, broken.

"Snow..." Killian said, uncomfortable.

The empty look of his new mother-in-law looked at him, and he stayed silent, as he wasn't able to add something to it. What could he say, except that he was sorry ?

(And it reminded him of what happened in Neverland, when his new father-in-law almost died.

And also that it was his fault… If he hadn't bring Charming in his quest, nothing would have happened.

And it didn't work.)

So, as Snow finally get out of her astonishment, the inhabitants of Storybrooke had to accept the evidence.

Defeat was what would happen from this sad story. Worried, they saw the curse slowly come close to them ; almost as if it took it time.

Taken by a sudden impulsion, Regina, understanding that everything was lost, took Snow, still trembling, and Zelena, and squeeze them against her. She shared a look with Hook, a look that was more than eloquent.

If Emma wasn't able to believe, everything was lost.

(In reality, everything was _already_ lost.

And maybe that unconsciously, they already knew it…)

 _§§§§_

It had been since some minutes that Emma was now back to her apartment in Boston, and even though she should have felt in this place like in her home, it wasn't the case. The young woman tried to rationalize that, by pretending that it was just because of the fact that she wasn't in there since a long time.

But, there was something that was wrong, she told to herself, something that wasn't in its right place.

Because of Henry, probably, as she atrociously missed him, and she would have wanted not to go. But it was for his good, she repeated to herself, for the good of both of them, so she had no reason to worry.

She trusted Fiona and Archie, and she knew that they both truly cared for Henry, and that they would do anything so he would get better. Emma didn't understand why Henry persisted, and the only idea to think about what she lived in the asylum, she shivered.

She refused that Henry could live the same thing as she did, and she confusedly felt that it was going to happen if her son continued to believe in these absurdities. The fact that she had been considered as crazy, and locked up, and then cured, she could accept that.

But it was out of the question that Henry also went through it, before he understood he was wrong. He had to realize it, that Fiona and her only wanted to protect him. This is why she had to stay here, in Boston, far from Henry.

And then, maybe, her son could recognize his mistakes, by knowing to see what was under his eyes, that is to say two loving mothers who just wanted him to be happy.

So it didn't matter that she could suffer from their separation…

 _§§§§_

Oz was now just ashes, the world of Zelena had been the first to disappear, and by hearing what the witch and the ancient inhabitants said, the all of them became pale. Horror and terror, it was all that stayed from this.

Now that they knew that flee was impossible, and that they had just a little time, the only option to which Regina and the other succeeded to think, was to save time.

The heroes were trembling, because there was a curse that would hit them, soon, after three or four hours (and if they could contain it until the end). Because there was the look of Zelena, that was terrorised, and in a way, it was almost as scaring as the curse itself (because there was almost nothing that could scare the former Wicked Witch.)

Because there was the poor inhabitants of Oz, innocents as culprits, that had been almost all touched by the curse.

Because there was the dead, who, as they were taken by this damn curse, and that fell on the ground, screaming with pain, and that had been literally reduced to ashes.

And that no one had been able to do anything against that…

But they weren't obviously the only one to be afraid to die, all the other realm were taken by this fear, the Lost Boys of Neverland, the inhabitants of Wonderland, or the one of the Enchanted Forest.

And it includes the one of Arendelle, whose Anna and Else, still blocked in their kingdom, and not knowing what to do.

(Which didn't mean that they did absolutely nothing.)

"Elsa… what is happening ?

\- I don't know Anna, but… stay next to me."

Since some hours, the Black Fairy's curse was coming next to them, and even though they were first powerless, Elsa then rapidly decided to act, and used her own power in order to slow the curse.

The queen felt in herself that what she was doing was more useless that something else, but she had to do something. She wouldn't die without fight, and there was so much hope in the eyes of Anna that she didn't accept to stop, a hope that the princess always had in her great sister, a hope that her powers would save her.

A hope that would soon disappear.

As everything else.

(Elsa then cursed herself by thinking about the fact that Kristoff had been send far from the castle for a time, and she saw that Anna thought about the same thing. They would die far from each other.)

The ice would contain the strange smoke just a time, before it would be broken into pieces, and that the spell would fall on them.

Then, everything would fall down…

 _§§§§_

Emma was at that precise instant really far from the worries of the inhabitants of the worlds with magic (and there were much). In fact, she was now again more and more in contact with what used to be her world.

Not a long time after she arrived there, her former boss called her, and proposed her to work again, at the evening, in fact.

She accepted, of course, as she desperately wanted to take this crazy story from her mind, and as she wanted to look good, and succeed to think about something else, she decided to take a shower.

As she did it, she prepared herself to her evening of work, and transferred from her former bag to another the objects that she could need during the evening.

Which only implied the useful objects, so she didn't take everything from her bag to see what there was in.

Emma saw at no moment the book that her son took time to put in her bag to help her to believe again. She didn't know how much she used to be a heroine, nor that she could be one again.

No revelation, nor even an intuition suddenly came to her mind, and at no moment of the evening, she felt that she wasn't at her place, even though it was hard to her to do it again. She didn't think to it again, from the beginning of the diner since the moment where she stopped the culprit.

In fact, as she came at her home, there was still a bitter taste because of it : she would be alone again, far from her son, and it was hard for her.

But she remarked the little candle that she used some years ago, and she had a nostalgia smile.

Being despite that taken by a light doubt, before she whispered to herself :

"Stop acting as a mad person, magic doesn't exist, or we would know it."

Without noticing it, all the other realms then fall, destroyed by the curse, and all the one that were there died at that moment (other died before it.)

And if she felt during some seconds a light but real pain in her heart, and that she saw a face unknown but that she used to love, and that she saved from death, she didn't take account of it.

At many kilometres of there, lying on a hospital bed, and sleeping as he had been sedated some hours ago "for his own security" (according to doctor Whale), Henry Mills woke up by screaming.

A light smile appeared on Fiona' face as she understood what it obviously meant.


	7. Part 6 : Everything that I still have

Part 6 : Everything I still have.

Since Emma came back to Boston, she didn't sleep at any moment. To say the truth, it wasn't entirely the case, but her nights weren't really calm, and without any real rest.

(And it was not because of something pleasant.)

The Savior was having nightmares, every nights, and it never stopped, and she had no rest. Every morning, she woke up with shadows under her eyes, completely tired, and despite the great use of sleeping pills, she didn't succeed to rest.

In her "dreams", there were people that were screaming, and she didn't understand why, she didn't realize who they were. They were calling her, they were screaming her name, again and again, as if they wanted to prevent her of something important, vital.

But she heard nothing else than her name, the rest of the words were lost in a terrible noise, or in the screaming of despair of these people.

Emma finally saw after some nights their faces, there was a woman with dark hair, and another one with the same color of hair, but who was crying…

A man that she almost recognized, and a man lying on the ground and seeming dead, and a woman with green skin (?), who all seemed to be plunged into a deep despair.

Who they could be, that, she didn't know.

The only thing she took from it, it was a profound feeling of discomfort, just as if… _as if she lost or forgot something_. Which brought her back immediately to Henry, and to his story of fairy tales and curse, that was entirely absurd, at least, for the criteria of a normal human.

(But Emma Swan wasn't a normal human, not completely, so it should not apply to her.

And then, seeing how these people were dressed, it could almost have seemed to be credible.

And, that, despite Emma's efforts to stay in the rationality.)

Fifteen days passed that way, before her boss, seeing her tired and absolutely not efficient, decided to let her have some holidays for a time, so she could be again herself.

And just after that, Emma learned a new that made her become profoundly angry.

 _§§§§_

Just after he tried to attack his "mother", and that this one made him her discourse of I-am-the-villain-and-I-won, Henry was taken without really understanding what was happening to him.

Well, that, that was before he realized who took his arm, and that he saw Archie's worried look. He sighted.

 _It just missed him..._

And, turning into the direction of his adoptive mother, theadolescent saw that she was crying, an expression of pure pain on her face. The Author sniffed with disdain.

 _Even me, I know better how to play_.

But he had to admit that yes, for anyone else, she was really good at that, someone who wouldn't have known the truth could have believed to it. The thing that, in fact, Archie did.

"Madam Mayor… what happened ? Is that what I think it is ?"

The scene that the psychiatrist had under his eyes was in fact really surrealist; Fiona, their dear mayor was hurt on her arm (wound provoked by magic, as Henry understood it fast) and Henry who was on the ground, his arm again in a bad way, and with the sword on his hand.

When he saw Fiona go despite it in her son's direction, Archie immediately stopped her :

"Fiona… don't do it, he could hurt you again. The look the former cricket gave to Henry was both full of fear and disapproval. Fiona falsely tried to justify him.

\- No Archie… let me. This is my son, and he is just a child, he doesn't know what he is doing.

\- Fiona, listen to me, your son _tried to kill you_. Don't tell me it doesn't count. The fairy nodded her head, and stopped to falsely try to struggle.

\- You may be right, she finally said, almost seeming to be relieved."

Henry gave a look full of disgust to his mother, and this one smiled to him; it's at this instant that Archie decided to act and, taking a syringe he took after the Mayor's call, he jabbed Henry with. This last one fell down in the arms of the psychiatrist, not before he gave him a look full of reproaches.

If he hadn't know that what he was doing was good, Archie Hooper would have probably felt even worse than he did at that moment. And he would have been more ashamed of himself and of what he just did.

This is just when he saw the relieved look of Fiona that he understood he did the good choice.

 _§§§§_

Henry immediately understood what happened at the instant where he woke up from his artificial sleep (the second, made by Whale), and horror took him. Slowly, all his body began to tremble, as he understood what it must imply.

They were dead, all the people he loved, his family was _dead_. His grands-parents, his mother, Zelena, and the pirate. Henry saw them, in a terrible and horrifying nightmare, a little as if he was back in the Netherworld.

He needed some seconds to understand where he was, and he almost screamed as he saw that he was tied to the bed with handcuffs. His sword also disappeared, so he had no way to fight, nor even to defend himself.

He was entirely powerless, and his feeling of despair became worse, as he saw who was on this side in this ordeal.

Archie.

Archie who forgot and had no idea about what just happened, and who would of course interpret his tears as being a form of regret.

This is what Henry didn't cry, not in front of him, despite his despair, and his distress.

Archie rapidly realized that something was wrong, and then he sighed again, as he did some seconds ago. The cry of the adolescent woke up him, and the psychiatrist told to himself that it was just a nightmare. But it was about Henry, and with him, nothing was simple by the way.

They needed to talk, and it really hurt the adult to be forced to do it, as he _really_ much appreciated Henry, even though when he began to talk about fairy tales, some years ago.

He, who thought that everything would end rapidly, he had been wrong. The worst was coming, explain to Henry what they had to do now, because this situation couldn't last, not any more. But despite all the efforts of Fiona to stop this, Archie finally won.

"Henry, you need to listen to me, what I will tell you is really important.

Henry, still hurt by the certitude that he had no family now, waited a time before answering.

\- What there is Archie ?

\- What I will tell you is not easy to do, but… we must intern you. In the same place where your mother was. Henry started, panicked.

\- But… are you crazy ?

\- No Henry, I'm not, but… you are

\- It's not true ! Exclaimed Henry.

\- You think ? But Henry, you don't understand… you did something terrible, you tried _to kill your mother_ !

 _-_ She is _not_ my mother !

\- Even though she adopted you, Fiona is really your mother, my boy. No matter that she is not the one who gave birth to you, she stays your mother, the one who loves you and who raised you.

\- This is not her my mother, my adoptive mother, it's Regina."

Archie frowned his eyebrows :

"Who is Regina ?"

Henry didn't insist, and, discouraged, lied again on the bed. He sighed, saying to himself with irony how much his attitude was different from the one he had the first time toward his mother.

 _I am sorry mom, I really am_.

He hadn't been able to save her, and Henry knew he would always blame himself for that.

 _§§§§_

So, this is just fifteen days after Henry was interned in the same asylum as she was, that the former Savior learned what they did to her son. It was almost by chance, in fact, through a call from Ruby Lucas, waitress in the Granny's, who decided to tell her that, worried as Dorothy of what would happen.

"Emma ? It's Ruby… are you alright ?

\- Yes Ruby, I am okay. Everything is okay there, in fact. Even if it's weird to re-adapt at the life here, _everything is fine."_

It was a lie, Ruby knew it, Emma knew it, and this conversation was more a fool's game than something else, during which the Savior tried to persuade her friend that nothing was wrong. This one, of course, didn't believe to it.

"You would want to come back, right ? I think that you will have the occasion… Henry… he tried to kill Fiona.

\- WHAT ? Emma literally screamed, squeezing her phone in her fingers.

Ruby grimaced facing the assault her poor eardrums just suffered, and talked again.

"He attacked her… with a sword, according to Archie. She is fine, but he did hurt her; but I don't think that it's the worse, Emma.

\- What could be, Ruby ?

\- Archie and Fiona… took a decision that I don't approve. I don't know what you will think about it, but, well… They decided to send him in the asylum where you were before, they said that Henry was crazy.

\- Henry isn't crazy, he is completely sane, Emma rebelled. I know that from an exterior look, he can seem… weird or particular, but he is okay ! When he will understand that all this story of fairy tales is insane, he will be okay, just as I am.

\- I have doubts about it Emma, it risks to take much more time than for you, but you're right about Henry. I just think that he is just exhausted, and your leaving maybe incited him to do something terrible… For me, he saw himself as the knight saving the princess in distress, added Ruby with a light laugh.

Emma couldn't help, but laugh.

\- Except that I am _not_ a princess in distress, and that, you perfectly know it.

\- Right, you look more as a Savior than as a victim, said Ruby with a light tone."

Emma's breath blocked for a time.

"What did you say ? She asked with a pale voice.

Ruby frowned.

\- Nothing… the young woman answered, carefully, just that I didn't see you in an inactive role, at least, if you talk about fairy tales.

\- Did you ever talk about it with Henry ? Did he… tell you something ?

\- No, why ?

\- For nothing, Emma whispered, more troubled than she showed it to Ruby.

\- You _have_ to come back, Em', the Mayor and Archie are really doing insane things. You have to stop them."

 _You have to save us_. It was what was saying in sub-text the desperate asking of Ruby, and the former sheriff tried not to take it into account, despite the surprise to know that the other woman counted on her and no one else to fix things.

"Why don't you ask to someone else ?

\- Because this is _your_ son, but also because you know as I do that no one in this damn town will ever dare to fight against her. You need to stop her from doing this to Henry, in fact, I'm a little afraid that it's too late… "

Emma nodded her head, convinced.

"I'm coming there Ruby, don't worry."

She was coming back to Storybrooke, where she belonged, and where she would save Henry.

If there was still someone to save…

 _§§§§_

Emma didn't need much hours to come again in this town she already missed, and she felt so much _better_ when she crossed the line that she almost asked to herself why she left at the beginning. She felt good, just as if, just as if…

 _Almost as if she was at home…_

But it wasn't Storybrooke her home, but Boston, it always was before.

(But Boston was such a cold town, compared to Storybrooke, which was the town where was what was the most close to a _family_.)

She had been right to leave, her spirit was now more clear, without all these medicines, and she realized that she wouldn't have wanted to leave if Fiona didn't manipulate her. The attitude of the Mayor scared her, and she started to think that Henry may be right to be suspicious toward her.

(Even though she wasn't that maleficent, either.)

There was something evil in her, buried under layers of false politeness and honeyed hypocrisy.

(During an instant, she saw a dark hair, as a feminine face, other than Fiona, that strangely reminded her of the Mayor of the town. It made her feel strangely good, as if it was someone she used to appreciate, and love, as a lost friend.)

And if Emma wasn't afraid for her now, she was afraid about what would happen to Henry, if he stayed with this woman.

Wanting not to be seen, she didn't show herself to the other, and put her car not far from the frontier, in the forest. No one saw her, in fact, no one paid attention to her, and she saw bitterly that apparently they all forgot her as she was in the asylum.

(And it hurt her, without knowing really why.)

Without really realizing it, more guided by her instinct than by her reason, she opened a door that she didn't think she ever opened, she walked on the stairs, and opened another door that wasn't locked.

The apartment was entirely empty, and she looked around her with curiosity, with almost a sensation of déjà-vu. As if she already _came_ here, that she knew the place.

But it was absurd, _right_ ?

(Except that there are some things you don't forget, you never forget.

Because there were people there, a family for her, and that even if she forgot it, she _felt_ it, in the deep of herself, that there _was_ something.

A mix of joy and suffering, mixed also with many regrets began to invade her.)

In reality, it was false, the room wasn't empty.

At least, not at all.

There was still a particular object, that wasn't from the furniture, and that was on the main table.

An object that shouldn't have been there, and that was Emma's, and that she forgot, as everything, and that came there with the curse.

A simple object for many people, but a treasury for her.

And a symbol, from what she used to have, what she could have had, but also what she would never have, not any more.

Something that representing what she lost, and what she still had.

That is to say nothing.

A ring, that representing her love for a man she forgot, as an engagement that wouldn't matter in this world.

 _Until death separate us_ , after all.

Well, now, it was done…

 _§§§§_

Emma didn't understand at that moment what was happening to her; all she took from it then, is that she again _felt_ something, and that she wanted to take the object in her hand.

When she took the ring, Emma felt a great shock, and the impression to be crossed by a kind of an electrical power.

Before that a hundred of pictures just came to her eyes, and that she fell on the ground, afraid by what she just discovered.

 _Oh, that can't be true !_

She would have almost wanted to die right now, in fact…


	8. Part 7 : To get what you want

Part 7 : To get what you want.

If Paradise ever existed, the Black Fairy would have considered that she was just there at that moment. Everything was perfect to her, her curse had been cast, everything that she planned since centuries, was now put in place, and nothing and no one would stand in her hand.

And not this Saviour.

(She would clearly do it in that purpose.)

If Fiona was now smiling, it's because she knew that she definitely won. The Saviour wouldn't be able to cause her any troubles, as she was far now, and she had nothing to fear from the Dark One.

She told her son then, trying to warn him against his try to play the hero, but he listened to nothing. Fiona didn't kill him oh no, because he was her son, and that she couldn't do it.

But she took his magic from him, thanks to the anti-magic bangle she had with her (conscious that her son could be ready to fight against her. She was prepared to it.) and now he could absolutely do nothing against her.

She defeated the Dark One.

But in fact, it wasn't that her greatest pride, because Rumple had been easy to fight in the end, because he didn't think she would defend herself. The thing she was proud of, it was to definitely have reduced Henry to silence.

In a way, the boy was almost more dangerous than his grand-father, in the sense where he risked to make her fail her plan, with his belief and his hope.

Fiona hated him, him and his Light, him and his assurance, the one of a hero that never lost, or almost.

She would make him known the terrible taste of defeat, the one she knew since so much time.

 _§§§§_

It wasn't surprise that made Emma fall, but rather the horror, as her false memories disappeared, replaced by the former. There was Henry in the front of her door, talking to her about the Evil Queen, and not about the Black Fairy.

There was Mary-Margaret, that is to say Snow White, and David, who really was Charming, her parents.

There was Neal, who happened to be the Dark One's son, and who died.

And there was Regina, the true Mayor of Storybrooke and adoptive mother of Henry, who finally became her friend.

There was Hook, to who she married just some times ago, and whose she had in hand the ring he gave her for their marriage.

And there was Zelena that finally chose Light rather than darkness, and gave up their magic for them.

Emma remembered…

She remembered, and it had nothing pleasant, and she had a cry of horror by understanding all that happened, and also _what she did_. With trembling legs, she succeeded after some minutes to stand up, rage in her heart and full of hatred.

But there was worse, in fact, more awful than her attitude toward Henry, is that her family was in great danger, and that the town was in the hand of the Black Fairy.

And she had to leave this place, to save her son, and her family, save what could still be.

 _§§§§_

More measured than Henry, the Saviour said nothing about the curse to anyone, and internally thanked Ruby as she told her what was happening, concluding to it that maybe it was a sign that the curse was getting weaker.

Not knowing that Gold was "awake", and not trusting him after his alliance with his mother, Emma didn't go in the Dark One's shop; in fact she avoided it consciously. She didn't want that Gold talk about her presence to his mother, nor even that he suggested that she remembered.

Emma didn't really want to see Fiona, her real purpose was to see Henry, and to tell him that everything would be fine now, that she would save everyone, and that she _remembered_ , and that she _believed_.

And also, maybe, secondarily to see Archie and punch him in the face as he dared to intern her son without asking it to her before.

(Archie who didn't deserve it, and that married them, Hook and her, but well, she needed really to unwind.)

The former amnesiac hadn't obviously time for it, as security unfortunately made it work too well, and they get her out of the asylum, before she came to the room where her son was. And, _of course_ , their first idea was to bring her to the Mayor.

By seeing them making her go out, Emma tried to be ironic :

"You know that I am not a criminal ? I am just here to see my son, this is not a crime, if I goodly remember. You don't need to bring me to the mayor."

No one answered, and Emma rolled her eyes. People there could have such a lack of humour.

 _They were less boring under Regina's curse..._

 _§§§§_

Emma just needed some minutes to come to the hall office, where she rapidly saw the false smile of Fiona :

"Oh, Emma ? What are you doing here, and… how are you ?"

Emma examined her enemy with a more critical eye, and asked to herself how she had been able to be fooled by her; everything was false, her look, or her smile, absolutely everything was just false in this woman.

The Saviour couldn't believe that it was _her_ that made her burn the story book (she just hoped that it wasn't too late for her family.)

"I am all right… Fiona."

The fairy became frozen then, and a light appeared in her eyes, making Emma realizing she understood by hearing the decided tone of the young woman. Her smile became evil.

"I am happy to see you again… Saviour, whispered the adept of the dark magic"

The masks had fallen, no one needed to pretend or to lie.

Would the Finale Battle finally settle ?

Not exactly.

Emma had nothing for her, she had no weapon (she didn't predict it, as she didn't want to talk to Fiona), and by the way…

Her magic wasn't working.

She should have had, obviously the one of Fiona had no difficulties to work, so why didn't her work ? The answer was brought to her by the fairy, who was still smiling, with this same terrible smile.

"You may ask yourself what is happening to you. It's very simple, this version of the curse does not only allow to use magic, but furthermore, it forbids the use of white magic. So, if you want Blue's help, or the one of the other, well… even with their memories, they would be useless to you. But in fact, no matter the situation, these last one wouldn't be useful, added the fairy with irony. Emma looked at her with anger.

\- This is not over Fiona ! Emma said with vehemence.

\- Oh, you think ? I am afraid that yes, dear Saviour, I even believe that you come _after_ the battle. Everything is lost.

\- Prove it."

Emma was now trembling with all her body, and despite her assurance, she began to doubt. What if Fiona was saying the truth ? Except about the curse, and the times where she wanted to hide the truth to Emma, the fairy didn't really lie to her. At least, Emma didn't remember.

"As you want" Fiona answered, with an almost sad look on her face (except that she had a happy face), then she went to closest mirror, and took the fabric that was on it, before she made a gesture with her hand. She showed at Emma where to look, that is to say in the mirror, and the Saviour did.

Then she frowned.

She could see nothing.

In fact, it was the problem, and a profound fear grew in her as she understood that there _should_ have been something.

"What do you want me to see, exactly ?

\- Look at your work, Swan. After all, all of this comes from you and your inability to believe in your son, in yourself, or in magic

\- What ? Emma asked, becoming pale. Fiona' smile became larger again.

\- Oh ? She said falsely polite. But, you maybe wanted to see how all of this happened, right ? Don't be disturbed."

With another gesture, the immortal then showed to Emma what she so feared, that is to say the worlds falling under her eyes, her father dead, and her mother crying. All of this were falling down, under her eyes and she could do nothing, in fact, everything was already dead.

Fiona wasn't that wrong in fact, everything was coming from her, in the end, and it's without a word that she saw her family and the one she loved disappear under her eyes, without being able to act.

Under the shock of what she just saw, the Saviour lost conscious, and fell, knocked out by all these recent informations she received.

 _§§§§_

She again was awake only some hours after, under the falsely caring look of the Black Fairy. This one sighed as she saw Emma on the defensive, ready to fight against her.

"Emma, Emma, Emma… I don't want to hurt you, don't you see it ?

\- Really ? You killed my family ! Screamed Emma, desperate.

\- I don't think, no. Well, it's not coming from me, but from you.

\- Are you kidding me ?

\- Not at all."

Enraged, the Saviour turned her head around her, to search something, anything that could help her to attack the other woman. This is just there that she realized where she was, and she became pale.

The roof. Where her and Killian get married, the place where Henry took her to convince her he was saying the truth.

Where for a second, she saw Hook's face, without really knowing if it was real or not.

(But this one was dead now, as the other, and there was nothing she could do.)

The spirit of the Saviour was already fragile, because of what she lived before, and of the bad memories that haunted her. Fiona' purpose was to make her completely fall on the other side, and what could be better than the place where one of the better moments of her life happened.

Place that also was the symbol of how she monumentally failed to preserve her family.

"What do you mean ?

\- About what Emma ?

\- About the fact that, all of this… it's my fault."

A carnivorous smile arrived on the Black Fairy's face, without Emma noticing it, as she was seeing at the place where she was with an air both of nostalgia and lost on the face. The immortal hadn't already win, but it was just a matter of time, the Saviour herself began to question herself. Her insinuations were working well.

"The truth is simple, Saviour, everything comes from you. It is by _your_ magic that I came here, not by the fairy's, my son's or from this dear Regina.

\- Gideon did this… Gideon that you controlled ! You had his heart !

\- In fact, it's still the case. But I don't think it matters, I should give it back to him, as I can't use it any more. But, let me continue. This is not all, don't forget what I told you when you fought, and that you _sang_. I proposed you to give me your heart, and then your family would have been safe. Without you and amnesiac, right, but safe. It's just because you have been too stubborn that you lost them, Saviour, don't forget that.

\- It's not true, Emma hiccuped. But a beginning of doubts settled on her face.

\- Without forgetting the fact that you refused to believe in magic and in your dear son ! Poor kid, he must be so sad to know that all his family disappeared because his mom didn't believe in him."

Emma froze, and looked again at Fiona.

"He knows ?

\- Of course, as the destruction of the worlds is just a secondary effect of the destruction of the story book ! Or, and accessory, it's because you never had faith at any moment Emma !

\- They died because I didn't believe ? No… you're lying, I am sure of that !

\- Use your precious gift Emma, and you will see that I am just saying the exact truth. And I didn't talk to you about the funnier thing of that… you lost your son forever ! You will never see him again, and he won't go of this hospital, not before he admits that magic is just a fairy tale.

\- Henry will never stop fighting, and you know it.

\- Well, exactly, and it's what makes that so fun. Goodbye Swan, I let you alone, to… meditate."

And the Black Fairy left, leaving a Saviour completely broken and destroyed, and already starting to fall under the load of the guilt.

 _§§§§_

The days after that were a true nightmare for Emma, and not only because there were on her nights. The Black Fairy made her be isolated from everyone, as she was almost ostracised in the town, and rejected by everyone.

The young woman hadn't been able to see Henry, and the only moments where she almost had the impression that everything wasn't spinning out of control, were the instants when she was in Granny's, with Ruby and Dorothy. They were the only people really happy in this town, except Fiona, of course, and they gave her the desire to fight for this town, even though they showed her how much she failed.

"Emma, you want the same thing as usual ?

\- Yes Ruby, thanks."

(She wouldn't have said no to a glass of rum, as she really needed a tonic, but it was nine am, so, in the morning. People were already looking at her strangely, so it was out of the way, she wouldn't be seen as an alcoholic.)

As there was not really a great number of people, Ruby came to see her rapidly, and the wolf sit down at Emma' table, in front of her.

"So, how is it with the Mayor ? She still refuses that you see Henry ?"

Emma said nothing to her friend, because she didn't want to be seen as a mad person, but she wanted to cry there, in that restaurant, in front of everyone the terrible truth. An instant, she wished to have Ruby's ignorance, who forgot that she lost her best friend, Snow White.

Tell nothing was tiring her, and was heavy to her, and the morning, she had more and more difficulties to stand up, taken slowly by a non-logical feeling of culpability. Death was handing her its arms, and she needed just one second to fall (a thing Fiona knew), she had nothing to loose, and Henry was the only one for who she still fought (why fight for a town which forgot you, she told herself more and more, knowing she was wrong.)

But to see Ruby happy helped her to do it, and by seeing the face of the young woman become brilliant, Emma understood that Dorothy was there now. Emma just felt relieved that the two women were in Storybrooke and hadn't been in Oz, or they would be dead now.

(Which brought back Emma to her new culpability.)

The Saviour had the possibility to think about something else when the two women settled close to her, and began to talk with her, about what they should do. They were clearly in an impasse, not knowing what to do so Emma could see her son.

The two women were revolted by the decision of the mayor, even Dorothy who didn't even really know Henry, and Emma was touched by her solicitude.

The former married and new widow looked the two of them talk, argument more or less, and kissing, and she smiled. They were really happy, and the Saviour could just envy them. Seeing they would succeed to do nothing, Emma saluted them, and went out, a little depressed by this despite this.

 _§§§§_

Emma Swan fell by days, and every try to go on the surface was a terrible failure. Loose all of her family's member had been like a knife's hit in her heart, and not being able to say anything about it was more and more painful.

(She could have tried to talk with Archie, but knowing that he didn't really appreciate her, she didn't really want to do it. And moreover, he wouldn't believe her, so why would she do it ?)

She tried everything to see Henry, but it didn't work, and she didn't even know if he knew she was in town. All she wanted it was to see him, and tell him that nothing was lost, that she was still fighting.

Except that it was a lie.

In fact, Emma Swan had not any more the strength to fight, and her spirit was now more and more falling. The lack of sleep, the memories of the asylum (although there were false), and also her culpability that invaded her, as the quasi-certitude that all was lost didn't help her to go through it.

She was alone, far from Henry, and despite the help Ruby and Dorothy could give her, it wasn't enough. Little by little, Fiona' words left its marks in her head, and she had more and more difficulties to go against the insinuations of the immortal.

When they told her they would transfer Henry in another psychiatric hospital, far, really far from Storybrooke and her (as he would be cured in a place which wouldn't remind him of the tales,) it was the coup de grâce.

They were taking Henry from her, they were stealing him, her son, her happy ending (because now she didn't dare to believe in a happy beginning, and this story, hers, was already over.)

Then, again, she tried to fight, but she failed, and even when she asked to say goodbye to her son, they refused it. It was a decision of Fiona, but also a trap for the Saviour, who had no doubts about it. She didn't intend to send Henry in another place.

Only to fill the heart of the Saviour with despair.

As she understood that try to save the town was now useless, Emma tried to take back her son, but failed and the car that was supposed to be with Henry get out of the town under the desperate' eyes of Emma that was stopped from leaving the town, and that wasn't able to follow them.

Ignoring all of this was false.

Not far from it, Archie was talking with Fiona, disapproving completely this :

"What you're doing is atrociously cruel madam mayor. Why did you do that to her ?

\- I want her to go from Storybrooke, definitely, Archie. She will finally see that it was better for them both, and when Henry will be cured, I will re-contact her.

\- Fiona, you know as I do that there is risks that Henry will never be cured, right ?

The fairy looked at him with such a sincere look that he believed to it.

\- Well, in this case, she will have to do again her life far from him, even though it destroys my heart."

 _§§§§_

She had nothing now…

Loneliness, it was all that she had, her heart was in pieces, she couldn't breathe any more, and barely walk.

This is just when she went again where she get married that she finally burst into tears, crying about what she lost, and what she would never have again. She turned and turned during twenty minutes, before her look went on the town on the ground.

She looked at this emptiness, having suddenly the desire to plunge it, and at this instant, everything mixed in her head.

The imaginary reproached of her relatives, Henry, Hook, her parents, or even Regina, the non hidden and false accusations of Fiona.

Everything was there, with the feeling she failed, and being useless, and the idea that without her, the town would be better, even under the curse.

As it should be true that a bad Saviour could be worse that not Saviour at all.

(In fact, it was her that needed the most to be saved, but no one saw her in the place where she was.)

She was on the edge of the abyss, ready to jump and to let herself fall, in the proper sense now, in the emptiness. The last hit was when she remembered her wedding, and how she had been happy then.

And so, the look in the emptiness, and lost, Emma Swan jumped from the roof, and fell on the ground, manipulated by the Black Fairy and eroded by her own culpability.

When they told her that Emma was dead, the fairy smiled (alone, of course), by remembering that only the Light was supposed to destroy the Light.

In this case, this one just destroyed itself from the inside, and the fairy would finally have what she wanted, the rules of magic would be destroyed, and the only obstacle that could have stopped her to do it just disappeared.

Her reign could begin.


	9. Epilogue : The one who won

Epilogue : The one who won.

Rumplestiltskin was definitely not happy, even though on the outside he seemed to be. He usually smiled, and when he didn't, his wife and his children tried to comfort him. Which worked, the most of the time.

Because yes, now he had two sons, as the Black Fairy finally kept her promise, _all_ her promises, and now Gold could say that he had all his family with him. Belle was there, she loved him and even though he knew that it was a true and sincere love, Gold could just feel bad, having conscious that everything was false.

Neal was alive, and it was probably the most beautiful thing of it, after all these centuries of struggle, he had found his son. And this one wasn't angry against him, in fact, he almost forgot everything. He knew for the magic, he remembered the Enchanted Forest.

But he forgot Emma Swan, and Gold thought that it was better that way, even though at the simple though of what he felt seeing the dead body of the Saviour, the dark One wanted to vomit. Neal also forgot Henry, it was coming from the Black Fairy, personally, who didn't want to risk that her grand-son may have his memories again one day.

His son was there, happy, and the wizard could just be happy for that, as for Belle's presence, as Gideon'. He had all he always wanted, and he hadn't the desire to use magic (it was not because of the fact that he couldn't. Not entirely.)

Everything was perfect, and if he had heard his evil side, he would have probably said to himself, as his mother, that he wanted nothing to change.

Except that…

Gold discovered to himself a conscious, as Belle didn't do it, he was the one who should separate good from evil about what happened. There were two voices that struggled against each other, the one which looked more like Belle's or Henry's, and another, from his Dark One's side.

The Saviour's death profoundly troubled him, and he felt really sorry for Henry.

The boy was since that still in a worrying silent, and saying no word, in general or to talk about fairy tales. Archie succeeded to do nothing with him, and was desperate, as obviously, the adolescent would stay forever in this asylum if there wasn't any good soon.

And it was sure, he would never get better, not with his mother's death that would be on him, and with the certitude he failed. Just as Gold, in fact. He would probably stayed there until he would die. That would happen, as he was again the only one who grew up.

 _I wonder if Archie will finally, with time, see that his patient is older than him, and that he himself hadn't get aged_.

That could have been almost funny, in fact, if it hadn't be that tragic…

 _§§§§_

The coward of the story, that was who he was, even though no one saw him that way now. No one knew his story, except the members of his family, and they all thought that he changed. Which wasn't the case, what changed was their perception of the things.

They saw him as someone good, and his situation was of course better than during that first curse.

But despite this, he was ashamed of that. And of himself too…

The Dark One tried, with all his forces to fight against his mother, but without a success. As she was stronger than him, too strong. But it was a false excuse, maybe that it was him that had been too weak.

Gold didn't know what would come from this, but he felt that nothing good would.

His mother broke all the elementary rules of magic, a thing he never dared to do. He didn't know what to think about it. But it would have hypocritical for him to complain, as without it, he wouldn't have had a happy ending.

That was why Fiona knew that he wouldn't dare to do anything against her; he had to much to loose in this story, with at first his family, who would deny him if the curse was broken. Gold knew he was too coward to try to attack her.

He asked to himself if he had to blame himself, or her for that, if this cowardice did or did not appear after his mother used the scissors to change his destiny. Rumple didn't really know who was the most to blame there.

 _§§§§_

They won, and it wasn't something that would change. The curse would of course never be broken by anyone. Except him and an adolescent of fourteen years old, who could now believe in magic in this world where there was almost no one ?

They didn't need a Saviour to break the curse, and Emma' death didn't signify the definitive and complete victory of Fiona.

But to succeed to find someone who would defy in a duel the terrible fairy and succeed to kill her would maybe be an exploit. Him in fact couldn't do it, not without his magic, at least.

(But did he really want the defeat of his mother ? Himself didn't really know it with certitude.)

Heroes definitely lost, and the villains had what they wanted, their happy endings, and it was the case of Gold.

And that, even though the price to pay had been too heavy, price that the sorcerer first didn't want to pay, and which was the reason why he fought against his mother.

The millions of human lives of the other worlds that disappeared and that had been destroyed so a maleficent fairy would be able to have what she wanted since forever : victory.

And he was sincerely sorry of that…

 _§§§§_

A smile more bitter than something else appeared on his face, and he cursed himself for being so weak.

He put a hand on his leg that used to be hurt, and felt no pain.

He should have been happy, but to know that all of that had be get by the use of darkness didn't help him to savour it. They would have wanted him to do the right choice, Belle, Gideon, and Neal, but he lost against the Black Fairy.

But, after all, it helped them to get a happy ending, right ?

Sincerely, he had doubts about it…

The End. (To be continued)


End file.
